Head of Supply Chain

Location - Mumbai

Job Summary

The Head of Supply Chain is a strategic leadership role responsible for overseeing and optimizing the entire supply chain function of a rapidly growing consumer food brand in India. The role involves managing demand forecasting, inventory strategy, procurement, logistics, and distribution across multiple channels including D2C, quick commerce, and e-commerce platforms. The incumbent will build a resilient, cost-efficient supply chain capable of supporting hypergrowth, ensuring seamless operations from demand planning to last-mile delivery, and contributing to the company's overall growth and customer satisfaction.

Responsibilities

• Forecasting & Demand Planning

  • Lead statistical and commercial demand forecasting across all SKUs, channels, and geographies.
  • Develop and refine demand planning models integrating sell-through data, marketing calendars, seasonality, and platform trends.
  • Drive Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) cadence with commercial and category teams.
  • Create scenario-based planning for new product launches, festive peaks, and platform-specific promotions.

• Supply & Production Planning

  • Translate demand forecasts into procurement and manufacturing schedules aligned with supplier lead times and capacity.
  • Manage procurement of raw materials and packaging in coordination with R&D and sourcing teams.
  • Establish buffer stock norms and replenishment triggers to prevent stockouts.
  • Optimize batch planning and waste minimization through collaboration with co-manufacturers and in-house production.

• Inventory Management

  • Oversee inventory health across factories, 3PL warehouses, dark stores, and platform fulfillment centers.
  • Set and govern inventory norms for various channels including e-commerce, modern trade, and general trade.
  • Reduce dead stock, aging inventory, and write-offs through proactive monitoring and clearance protocols.
  • Build real-time inventory visibility dashboards and manage platform-level inventory allocations.

• Logistics & Distribution

  • Design and manage the logistics network for primary (factory to warehouse) and secondary (warehouse to customer) distribution.
  • Manage 3PL partnerships, including SLA governance, cost benchmarking, and performance improvement.
  • Optimize freight costs via lane consolidation, mode mix, and carrier negotiations.
  • Ensure compliance with cold chain and temperature-controlled logistics where applicable.
  • Drive OTIF (On-Time In-Full) metrics and resolve bottlenecks affecting service levels.

• E-Commerce & Quick Commerce Operations

  • Lead supply chain strategy for quick commerce platforms (Zepto, Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart) from replenishment to dark store allocation.
  • Manage operational KPIs for seller accounts on platforms like Flipkart and Amazon.
  • Collaborate with account managers to align supply with promotional calendars.
  • Resolve operational escalations related to stock availability, returns, and claims.

• Team & Systems

  • Build and mentor a high-performing supply chain team across planning, logistics, and operations.
  • Evaluate and implement supply chain tools and ERP systems such as WMS, TMS, demand planning software.
  • Define and monitor KPIs including forecast accuracy, fill rate, OTIF, inventory turns, and freight costs.
  • Present monthly supply chain performance, risks, and opportunities to the leadership team.

Qualifications

• MBA / PGDM from a Tier 1 institution (IIM A/B/C/L/K/M, IIT, XLRI, ISB, FMS, or equivalent).
• Minimum 10 years of progressive supply chain experience.
• At least 3 years in a leadership role managing large teams and complex supply chains.
• Prior experience in high-growth consumer food, FMCG, or D2C brands.
• Hands-on experience managing supply chain for quick commerce platforms (Zepto, Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart) and e-commerce (Flipkart, Amazon).
• Strong command of demand forecasting methodologies and S&OP processes.
• Deep understanding of inventory optimization techniques (safety stock, reorder points, EOQ, ABC/XYZ classification).
• Proficiency in supply chain management tools such as SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, Unicommerce, Increff, or equivalent.
• Data-driven mindset with proficiency in Excel, SQL, Power BI, Tableau for operational analysis.
• Knowledge of platform operations: Seller Central (Amazon), Flipkart Seller Hub, Zepto/Blinkit supplier portals.
• Understanding of food safety, shelf-life management, and FSSAI compliance in supply chain context.

Preferred Skills

• Entrepreneurial energy with the ability to operate in ambiguity and build processes from scratch.
• Strong cross-functional stakeholder management skills, working effectively with sales, marketing, finance, and operations teams.
• Analytical rigor combined with executional hustle.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills suitable for CXO-level reporting.
• Bias towards process-building and scalable systems thinking.

Experience

• Minimum 10 years of relevant supply chain experience.
• Proven track record in managing supply chain operations within high-growth environments, especially in consumer food, FMCG, or D2C sectors.
• Experience with quick commerce and e-commerce logistics is mandatory